1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary hinge, especially to a rotary hinge mounted between a cover and a body of a portable electronic device to allow the cover pivoting relative to the body.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
Portable electronic devices with a cover and a body, such as mobile phones, digital cameras, have different structures to arrange the relative position of the cover and the body. A conventional portable electronic device has a sliding mechanism, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,319,892, 7,092,246, in U.S. Patent Application Publications 2008/0120806, 2007/0171195, 2008/0176607, 2008/0232048, 2008/0051162, 2008/0125201, and in Taiwan Patents M332346 and M333484, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. The bottom of the cover is attached slidably to the top of the body via the sliding mechanism. When the cover aligns with the body, the conventional portable electronic is closed. Then the user may watch the screen on the cover or use the touch panel on the cover. When the cover is rotated to misalign with the body, the conventional portable electronic device is opened. Then the input unit of the body is revealed so that the user may enter commands via the input unit.
However, the conventional portable electronic device with the sliding mechanism has following disadvantages:
1. The channels may be revealed when the conventional portable electronic device is opened. Dust and foreign matters easily fall into the revealed channels to block the channels so that the slide between the cover and the body is retarded. Moreover, because the channels are long and narrow, the dust and foreign matters are not easily cleaned.
2. In some conventional portable electronic devices, the sliding mechanism allows the cover to slide and rotate relative to the body with more than two channels. Generally, the central lines of the cover and the body should remain to align with each other for easily used no matter opened or closed. The channels need to be precisely arranged to cause the central lines of the cover and the body to remain to align with each other when opened. To precisely arrange the channels complicates the manufacturing process of the conventional portable electronic device.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a rotary hinge to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.